Roulette is the iconic casino game — a wheel, a ball, and dozens of ways to bet on where it stops. The rules are easy to pick up in a single spin, but the payouts and house edge depend heavily on which version of the wheel you choose.
Table Games
How to Play Roulette
Place your chips, place your bets — the wheel, the table, and how the maths really work.
How a Round Works
The wheel
A European roulette wheel has 37 pockets numbered 0 to 36, alternating red and black except for the green zero. An American wheel has an extra “00” pocket — 38 pockets in total — which doubles the house edge. Always play European or French roulette if it is available.
Placing bets
You place chips on the betting layout before each spin. Bets fall into two groups:
- Inside bets — on specific numbers or small groups. Higher payouts (up to 35:1), lower hit rate.
- Outside bets — red/black, odd/even, high/low, columns, dozens. Roughly 50/50 chance, lower payouts (1:1 or 2:1).
House edge
- European roulette: 2.7%
- French roulette (with “La Partage” rule on even-money bets): 1.35%
- American roulette: 5.26%
That single 00 pocket nearly doubles the cost of playing — it is the most important rule in roulette.
Common Questions
European or American roulette — does it really matter?
Yes. The American wheel’s extra 00 pocket roughly doubles the house edge, from 2.7% to 5.26%. Over a thousand spins of a €1 bet, that is the difference between losing €27 and €52 on average. Always pick European or French roulette if both are offered.
What is the "En Prison" or "La Partage" rule?
Both rules apply to French roulette and only to even-money bets (red/black, odd/even, high/low). If the ball lands on zero, La Partage returns half your stake; En Prison locks it up for the next spin instead. Either way the house edge on even-money bets drops to 1.35%.
Are roulette betting systems (Martingale, Fibonacci) reliable?
No. Every spin is independent and the house edge is fixed. Progressive systems like Martingale work right up until you hit your table limit or run out of bankroll — then they fail catastrophically. They make sessions feel safer but do not change the long-run outcome.